Cloud security is undoubtedly a concern when it comes to the healthcare segment, but with appropriate security tools like CASB, there is no cause for worry about healthcare data breaches.

Have Healthcare Data Breaches Reduced after the Fortunate Arrival of CASB?

Cloud adoption has brought about a slew of advantages and all the industries including the healthcare segment have immensely benefitted from it. However, an annual survey by Bitglass over the breaches in the healthcare segment has brought out some interesting facts. Here, comparison is done between the rates of data breaches over the previous year and the current year. Astonishingly, there is a drop in the volume of healthcare data breaches and the scope of each attack. So, let us dwell into some facts and figures here over the survey reports. As per the government rules, any data breach that affects at least 500 individuals is to be compulsorily reported by the healthcare organizations and its affiliates. This helps the government collect all the information regarding the causes for breaches, the individuals involved and the firms attacked by the hackers. After several years of being targeted by the cyber attackers, the healthcare segment has finally rolled up its sleeves and taken some concrete steps towards better data security. It is a stated fact that every organization has cloud security as its topmost priority. Many of the organizations are shifting their data services to the cloud providers like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. Even though these provide cloud security, organizations are still hunting for appropriate third-party security solutions that allow them to obtain cross-application security, achieve various compliance needs and thus mitigate the risk and impact of the data breaches.

CASB and Its Benefits for the Healthcare Segment in Terms of Cloud Security

CASB (Cloud Access Security Brokers) solutions, in particular, are taking the healthcare segment by storm and have taken effective steps towards preventing breaches. A few years back, cloud security solutions were a relatively new concept and there were many occurrences of many breaches due to the lackadaisical attitude of the organizations. But today, due to the heavy non-compliance fines imposed by international security protocols, enterprises have been deploying advanced CASB solutions to great success. CASB solutions come with a host of features like the high-risk data and new applications outflow alerts which help enterprises to define granular policies that can prevent mega-breaches which would otherwise cost them in millions of dollars.

Current Scenario of Healthcare Industry after Cloud Adoption from the POV of Cloud Security

For any healthcare industry, confidentiality of data of patients is utmost important and this is necessary if they are to spread their wings in the healthcare domain. Regulations like the HIPAA act sees to it that the healthcare industry discharge the regulatory compliance norms and governs the policies that are implemented for smooth and safe transactions involving confidential and private data. Any healthcare organization that deals with patient records like storing, processing and modifying have to comply with the laid-down rules governed by HIPAA. Hence, HIPAA can be said as the standard of care for all the healthcare centers. With organizations massively adopting to cloud technology, its security has to be adequately considered and acted upon; else, healthcare data breaches become an unnecessary peril.

Cloud adoption has become a common scene now. That is not a surprise, given the host of benefits, it provides like scalability, mobility, and better-managed work environments. But, with the advantages, comes the peril too, and the prime concern for all those, who have adopted cloud technology, is its security. Healthcare segment has to follow certain international security norms like HIPAA, GDPR etc. So, organizations planning to shift their data to the cloud are wary of its data security and the compliance issues. The cloud provides for free accessibility from anywhere, anytime; but this itself becomes the major challenge. CASB solution is the need of the hour and effectual solutions work hand-in-hand with the cloud providers to provide a robust security system for data on the cloud. CASB solution is a must for enterprises where the data access happens through unmanaged devices, unregistered IP addresses and other personal BYOD devices like tablets and laptops. When the cloud providers’ security control is not adequate enough to ensure complete enterprise security, then CASB solutions are the effective and assured choice to ensure data safety and achieve compliance. CloudCodes one of the best solution for healthcare data breaches.